this blog in 5 years.

I had a very interesting conversation with a good friend of mine today. We were talking over the phone, and the topic of this blog came up. I try to NOT talk about my blogging with other people to be honest - I'm just naturally secretive when it comes to my bookish and nerdy side - but she did raise an important and rather thought-provoking question that I had to think about.

1. Where do you see your blog in 5 years?

I have to admit I haven't really thought of this blog's future. I kind of like the fact that I go through this bookish journey with you guys day by day, week by week... and not more than that. But it did get me thinking - where is this blog going?

I honestly still have no idea for sure. but I would like to think that:

• In 5 years, I'd still go through my day, excited to get to talk to you guys about some of my favorite things; books, life, inspiration, writing, literature... among many other things.
• In 5 years, I would still have the same enthusiasm that I have for this fun and inspiring hobby of mine.
• In 5 years, I would still continue to enjoy reading and recommending good titles, and continue getting so many ideas from you.
• In 5 years, I am still internet-friends with a lot of you, and that I can make more!

2. Do you ever see yourself NOT blogging anymore?

Honestly, right now, the answer is NO. Having been spoiled rotten with awesome conversations with you guys, I can't really see myself stopping!

So now... I'd like to ask you the same questions. Tell me! I'd love to know what you think.

parents punishing their kids with reading?

First, I'm not a parent. I don't know anything about parenting. I am only 22 years old, and can still be very immature at times, so I don't know if this opinion of mine really counts for anything. But I thought about this today through a long conversation with a friend.

We were talking about how some kids hate reading so much. How did they come to hate it? Why do they hate it?

Most of the time, the usual reason they have, is simply because they just don't enjoy it. They don't find it fun. This is pretty understandable, I think. But then there are the kids that hate books and reading, mainly because they are being taught to fear it - by their own parents or guardians.

Apparently, some parents use reading as a form of punishment. Let's say if the kids are too noisy or too loud, they're punished with an hour of reading. If they misbehave and disobey, they get sent to their rooms with a book. If they do something wrong, they're not allowed TV or toys - just books. The list of examples of scare tactics can go on and on.

I do not get this tactic to be honest. I feel like when you instill something in a negative way, it will become negative to the person. When a parent continuously uses reading as a threat or a punishment, the result would be obvious.

Again, I'm no parent and I really have no clue, but I was a child once after all. I was a child that was raised by parents and grandparents that promoted the act of reading - both as a hobby and as a form of learning. I would say if they didn't raise me that way, I wouldn't really be the reader that I am today.

So I guess as random as this post may seem to be, I would like to know your take on this. Do you know anyone that does this to their kids? Do you approve? How were you raised as a child, reading-wise? And if you're a parent yourself, what do you think of this? I'm very interested.

do books give you dreams?

I wonder about this a lot, if books cause your dreams to occur, because I know that personally, books have that effect on me. Now this could be a good thing or a bad thing. If it was just a normal, out-of-nowhere sort of dream, it's alright with me. If I am dreaming that I go to Hogwarts to learn magic or something - even better!

But then there are the nightmares. Unfortunately, I get these more often than I get "normal" dreams, and for the most part, I do blame the books and my habit of late-night reading. I don't know if it's because I just naturally have a wild imagination or what - I think generally readers and writers (and other types of artists) tend to have crazy imaginations! - I am not even quite sure why I get them, and I especially can't even figure out what they even mean. Most of the time, the dreams are completely pointless! Sadly, they are still nightmares. It's horrible, I have to admit.

So I guess I am wondering if it's just me that experiences this - I sure hope not! But surely this must be an odd thing? xxx

in which I blog about not being able to blog about anything.

Right now I am sitting staring at my computer, trying to come up with something to talk about. Nothing is coming out. Blank. Zero ideas.

Do you ever get this annoying blogger's block? I have a very bad case of it right now for sure. I don't know if it's because I'm writing this at 11am (this is a scheduled post) which is in itself is unusual - as my writing/blogging brain typically works well late at night. Perhaps. Or maybe it's because I need to discover a new favorite read. Although I have read many and liked some, I really can't remember the last time I truly fell in love with a book, to be honest.

So as always, I come to you for help.

1) Do you ever get blogger's block? What do you do to cure it?

2) What inspires you, and where do you get ideas for blog posts?

3) Recommend me a book you personally think is amazing.

And as always, thank you. Which reminds me - sometimes I really, really think, "What would I do if I didn't have reader friends like you?" Sounds cheesy, but it's so true! Where will all my book and reading-related thoughts go if not here?

On Body image and How Books Helped.

"My stomach is too big."
"I have to lose 10, 20, 30 pounds in two months."

"I look fat in this dress."

"Don't take a photo of me!"

Sound familiar? In my head, for the longest time, they were all I knew. 

It took me a while to get to the conclusion that these feelings are normal, and that it's okay to feel these things. I do realize though it's something that we should try to stop feeling consistently. 

First off, I didn't always have body image issues, and this whole thing only started when I was around 16. I was one of those girls that developed a bit later on. With that came natural weight gain. Being that I was such a skinny girl when I was younger, everyone noticed the difference. Everyone.
In fact, everyone still comments on it to this day. Just recently, someone commented on a photo of mine posted and said I was too big. 
Suddenly, 125 pounds with a pear-shaped/hourglass figure for 5'1 was fat. I was very insecure, and self-conscious. Though I didn't go as far as starving myself, my confidence in myself went down the drain. I didn't want to have my pictures taken or wear anything that would show off my body. I would avoid going out with friends, and hated seeing someone I haven't seen in a long time. I always had this nasty whisper in my head telling me that everyone is staring and judging.

So at the end of the day, I usually just go home, stare at myself in the mirror, and hate myself. After that, I usually pick up a book just to keep my mind off the day.

Now these past couple of months, I have been reading books related to body image. I thought that it was so comforting that I could relate to these characters, despite the fact that they are fictional. While reading and discovering more about these characters and their stories, I began to take a good look at myself. What really was wrong with me? Was it the 125 pounds or my mind thinking so badly about myself?
It was a rough time, but going through that journey with these stories in these books made me start to gain back that confidence that I lost. Sure, it's harder some days, but overall, I have been a lot happier rather than down on myself. feeling happy and content.

Some of the books that I specifically read were Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, Skinny by Ibi Kaslik, Life Size by Jenefer Shute were just some... even books like Willow by Julia Hoban that deal with body image and self-esteem in general helped.

These were the ones, among others, that hit me right on the head, and made me realize that I am lucky that I at least have a perfectly functioning body. It made me realize that it's only me to blame if I put myself down because of one person telling me what they think I look like. After all, I should know what I look like. I should know what's healthy for me, what I truly should change, what I should keep, and what I should not even bother with.

These were the books that made me start thinking a bit more clearly. It reminded me that 'real bodies' come in all sizes. It reminded me that as long as you are healthy, nobody can tell you, "You're fat" or "You're too skinny." And whenever I feel that tiny pang of body-hate anyway - because let's face it, those feelings and thoughts are simply inevitable - I try to remind yourself that someone thinks I'm beautiful. At least one person. And the only way other people can start seeing the real you, is if you start believing that too.

If you have any other recommendations for books that deal with this issue and the like, please let me know on the comments below. Of course, Random Ramblings is always open for discussion as well. And also, as always, thanks so much for reading.

where did the bookstores go?

I've talked about this troubling issue a couple of weeks ago - that there are no longer any bookstores near where I live. The closest ones to me (and there's only two of them remaining) are about an hour drive away - definitely not a place I could just visit randomly.

Now I don't even buy books. I rarely do. But to be honest, what I seek and love about bookstores is the experience itself -- actually going in the shops, feeling somehow comforted by being surrounded by shelves and shelves of books. Sometimes, it's just nice being in a bookstore; I think everyone can agree with me - whether you're reading, just hanging out inside, killing time, window shopping, or actually doing some book buying.

I miss being able to do all those. It's bad enough now as it is, but what worries me is the possibility of not having any resources for books at all in the future. Libraries are also having trouble, and so this supports that worry even more. And to think that I live in a fairly big city with other surrounding areas with a huge population.

So now I wonder, is/are your area(s) having this problem too? What do you think about this "crisis?" How do you feel about the possibility of zero book resources in the future? Let me know what you think!

rank the HP novels.

I think everybody knows by now; the Harry Potter series are my favorite books of all time. - how many times do you have to keep saying that, Jillian? LOL.
They were after all a huge part of my life growing up, and are pretty much what made me into the reader that I am now. But I do have to say that even though I love them all like crazy, I have ranked them from favorite to 'least' favorite in my head. Secretly, of course.

--

7 - The Chamber of Secrets - Don't get me wrong; I really enjoyed this one too, but of course, if I had to rank them in order of favorites, this would be the last simply for the reason that it was the "least" entertaining of them all. Also, I didn't find Ginny at all engaging for some reason at that time. I didn't think she was valuable or significant (LOL!) so it sort of made me wonder why it focused a lot on her too.

6- The Order of the Phoenix - To me, this felt more like a much-needed filler to provide the different back stories and character backgrounds. It also showed a lot of important foreshadowing, so I get that it is a huge part of the series. However, it just wasn't, shall we say, as charming as the rest of the books. (Also, I kind of hated Cho Chang!)

5 - The Goblet of Fire - There were so many awesome things going on here - The Yule Ball, the Tournament, the newly added characters, Cho Chang, Cedric Diggory, Victor Krum, Fleur Delacour... so exciting and incredibly entertaining novel! I was debating whether or not to put this before The Sorcerer's Stone because I truly enjoyed this one so much, but for the reason I'll state for #4, is why I put The Goblet of Fire in 5th place instead.

4 - The Sorcerer's Stone - This technically should be #1 by default, since it is the one that started it all. This was basically the reason that I fell in love with the series. It was the book that set the bar after all. And the discovery of a new series that had the potential to be epic was enough reason to really love this one.

3 - The Half-Blood Prince - Snape was definitely one of my favorite characters in the series. Without him, the entire series just wouldn't be the same. I would hate him, and then love him, and then hate him, and then like him... it was confusing, but it was fun. He was a very important part in the series, and The Half-Blood Prince truly allowed the readers to see that. I loved this book too because I thought it showcased the trio's growth and maturity, after everything that happened in The Order of the Phoenix.

2 - The Prisoner of Azkaban - Lupin. Sirius Black. The Marauder's Map. The beginning of Ron and Hermione's "bickering/hints of romance in the future," Hogsmeade. Pettigrew. Buckbeak. Time travel. The epic confrontation towards the end!
We also get to learn so much more of Harry's background and the Potters' history, plus this was the first book I enjoyed Hermione's character! Oh I really did enjoy this book so much! Anytime I crave for some HP reading in my life, I pick this one. It could be my #1 pick depending on my mood, really. Haha.

1 - Deathly Hallows - Rowling did a spectacular job satisfying every single Harry Potter fan out there with this perfect conclusion. Deathly Hallows answered every question I had, and showed me scenes and events that I wanted to see. As soon as I finished this book, I already knew this had to be hands down, my favorite book in the series, simply because it held so much meaning and value. It was emotional, exciting, entertaining, sad at times; it just was a great end of an amazing phenomenon.

--

Okay, your turn! Rank the HP books according to your most favorite-least favorite - if there was even such a thing as "least" favorite, haha. I loved them all, and it was pretty hard to rank them, but I think this is quite accurate. Would love to hear your thoughts on this!

my random ramblings. for tonight.

I am reading The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien for the first time. I have always promised I would eventually pick this one up, but the thought of reading about the history of elves - and pretty much the entire, massive universe Tolkien created - intimidated me too much. Finally, I gave in and started reading it. I knew I had to someday. And I have to say, it's quite a challenge to do so. Reading it now, it truly does feel like reading a history textbook sometimes. Now that could either be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you want to look at it. For me, I feel indifferent about it. Sometimes, it's refreshing and even relaxing. Sometimes, it's a pain.

Don't get me wrong; it's interesting, and complex and crazy awesome in so many ways. But... and this is a very big but; I am completely CONFUSED by it all! I don't know if it's because I'm sleepy, as I read it late at night and all, or I'm just a bit slow. I hope it's not the latter. (Surely, it's not? Haha) I even mentioned this problem I'm having on Twitter, asking why the book is so confusing, and Enbrethiliel suggested that it probably has a lot to do with the time line, or lack thereof. Well, that could be it.

Anyway, I thought I'd share my first impressions on it with you all, as I just finished a couple of chapters from it. I have to say though, while it's confusing most of the time, it's very promising. It's interesting, and for some reason, I just can't put it down. I'm drawn to it. So having said that... clearly, there's no stopping now.

Well... I guess that is all. I know this is somewhat of a pointless, rambly post, but might as well. Thanks for listening! And if you have ever read this book, please let me know what you thought of it.

keeping reviews fresh.

A year of blogging seems nothing compared to the years and many months of some of my favorite book bloggers out there, but already, sometimes I feel like my reviews can be quite repetitive even when I'm not trying to make it so. There are some days when I feel like writing 1-5 reviews, but then there are the days when I feel like I have nothing to say at all - regardless of my feelings and thoughts on a book. Sometimes it seems like there's only so much I can say; it's a great book, it was intriguing, it was interesting, I loved the character, liked the development, it was okay, it was awesome, great writing, fast-paced, and the list goes on and on. I just really try to mix it up so as to not sound like every review is the same one.

Thankfully, I don't always have a problem with this; most of the time I always find a way to express my thoughts on a story without having to repeat the same words and phrases, but I wonder how you do it. I usually just take a break and hope the temporary writer's/blogger's block goes away. Any thoughts?

Sauron VS Voldemort: Who would win?

Yesterday, on book blogging hop day, Jennifer from Crazy-for-Books asked about our all-time favorite villains. I chose Sauron as my pick, and when I went around to see who others were picking, I noticed that a lot of people thought the same way - and with good reason ;) I also noticed though that Voldemort was quite a popular choice as well. So being the nerd that I am I started thinking a lot about these two villains; who would win if they fought?

You all know I love my Harry Potter series, but I have to give this to Sauron.

Sauron to me is just the quintessential villain in the fantasy genre. He is not just evil. He is the definition of evil. Let's not forget that he is after all a maiar, which would make him a god in a humanoid form. He could probably kill Voldemort just by staring at him. I know though that Voldemort is a very, very powerful wizard. He also has a lot of followers to help him out. However, he is still technically just a man who simply got lucky and achieved immortality.

I also think that Voldemort is way too confident with himself. He underestimates his enemies' powers, and acts on impulse, without really thinking of what he's doing. I feel like Sauron's smarter. He's mysteriously so, and you could tell he plans his battles very carefully. He wouldn't even try thinking of attacking Voldemort without making sure his Horcruxes aren't destroyed yet.

Considering Sauron hasn't found these Horcruxes yet, then Voldemort might have a chance. It's pretty low, but he might be able to throw an Avada Kedavra in there when Sauron's not looking or something. But, and this is a very big but, can an Avada Kedavra spell kill a demi-god? Probably not ;)

Who do you think would win?

Alex Pettyfer + 13 Reasons Why + Katniss

I have to ask this question. Is there really no one else that is blonde, good-looking, "fairly hot," and a teenage boy in the movie industry today but Alex Pettyfer? Seriously. Alex Rider. I Am Number Four. Beastly. Rumored to be Jace in the Mortal Instruments movie adaptation. Possible selection as Peeta in The Hunger Games. Listing the movies, it seems like it's not a lot, but seeing that these are all based on Young Adult novels, I think we may be seeing a pattern here. Don't get me wrong; he's cute and likable and all -- and I'm really not complaining because I actually do like him haha -- but it is sort of funny. To be honest though, I did try to come up with other actors that could play the roles he did -- and I'm most curious to figure out who will play Peeta -- but I can't really think of any. I guess that's a good thing for him.

Speaking of movie roles, I don't know if this is just a rumor or is confirmed, but apparently Selena Gomez is going to be playing Hannah in the movie adaptation of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Hmm... Selena Gomez can be cute, but I just don't see her as a depressed, suicidal teenage girl. I really can picture Kaya Scodelario playing her instead. She was Effy in the popular UK show, Skins. She pretty much played a very troubled, depressed girl, and she was amazing at doing so, to say the least. Who do you imagine playing the role of Hannah?

And while we're at the topic of picking movie roles, who do you think should play Katniss Everdeen? This is a bit of a stretch, since so many people have so many different choices! But I have to say, without thinking of their ages, I'd say Kaya Scodelario, Emma Roberts, and possibly Camilla Belle. However, I think I would prefer it if they brought in a completely new actress.

What do you think? Any ideas for replacements for Alex Pettyfer? Who should play Hannah of Thirteen Reasons Why and Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games?

Reading The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Reading this can be compared to the feeling I get when I'm on a roller coaster. That excitement, that thrill, and the nervousness I get when the car slowly ascends to the top. We get to the peak, and the car stops there for a few seconds. I know what's going to happen, but I don't know when it will. I want to get out, as I ask myself why I even got on the ride in the first place. Then, without any warning whatsoever, the car plummets down down down. I've lost control, and I can't really do anything about it. The only way down is to drop.

Basically there are two parts in The Bell Jar: the good and the bad. The first half of The Bell Jar is as normal as it gets. The second half is where everything gets darker and more twisted. It gets harder to read, mainly because it's so difficult to even begin to imagine being in the main character's shoes. It was also very scary to see how on-point and realistic everything was, despite the fact that I can't directly relate to what the character was going through.

As I read this book, I also started to think a lot about sanity, in general. I kept thinking, how would I react if I was in the main character's shoes? What would I do? Would I know the difference between sane and insane anymore? Would I be able to tell? This novel got me thinking of those things, which of course could be a good thing or a bad thing. Having said that, The Bell Jar is dark and depressing. It can definitely put your mood down, but I also found that it can also be an eye-opener as well. It made me thankful that at least I am not at all close to the main character's state of mind. It also was very humbling, because I realized, that no matter how normal we are -- or we think we are -- we are as vulnerable as everyone else. We are still human. This can be quite a scary thing to realize, but it is reality, and is something everyone eventually learns to work with no matter what.

Now if you're wondering if I liked or disliked The Bell Jar, I have to say I liked it. However, this is one of those books you can not judge based on its literary merit, but on the overall experience and effect it had on the reader instead. So if I have to give it a technical rating, I'd give it 3 stars. But for the experience itself, I have to give it 5.

Literary Couples.

I already posted something like this about a year ago, when I first started blogging, but I wanted to sort of re-post it again since it is Valentine's Day. Now I'm not super into Valentine's Day or anything, but I do tend to love it and appreciate the thought behind this occasion. So to celebrate this event on the blog, I decided to re-list some of my favorite literary couples.

1. Henry De Tamble and Claire Abshire
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

2. Jamie Sullivan and Landon Carter
A Walk to Remember - Nicholas Sparks

3. Ron and Hermione
Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling

4. Allie and Noah
The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks
- I actually put them here because of the movie version. But because they are book characters, I had to add them here :)

5. Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

6. Severus Snape and Lily Potter

Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling
- yes, you read it right ;) :Spoilers: Snape is probably the most misunderstood character in the history of literature, and Lily Potter has got to be the "perfect girl" that everyone just wanted to be with. Now I'm no James Potter hater, but man, I didn't expect him to be the jerk, and for Snape to be actually the "good guy."

7. Liesel Meminger and Rudy Steiner
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
-
8. Samantha Kingston and Kent Fuller
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

I know some of them aren't technically couples, but I put them there anyway not because of the 'relationship status' but because of how they feel with and about each other.

How about you? Who are your favorite "couples"from books?

Beware of the "Unprofessional Book Reviewer"

Everybody has the right to voice out their opinions. However, to me, there's always a fine line between being honest and being rude. To me, her post was the latter. I found it to be inappropriate, insensitive, offensive, and just plain hurtful. If you are not aware of what I'm talking about yet, it's about a post written by an author, Sylvia Massara. (read it here; original unedited post here)

I think if she removed the name calling, and finger pointing, I could have probably tried to understand where she is coming from. But I can't get past the fact that she called book bloggers "smart asses who don't know how to do anything else." To be honest, I wasn't so much angry or upset about this and her post. It just really offended me and made me sad how anybody -- especially somebody who calls herself a "professional" -- could think that it's acceptable to say this publicly.

While there's not really much to say -- because I think her post speaks for itself -- I do have a message for Sylvia Massara herself. So if she happens to randomly read this, then this would be for you:

Please bear in mind that book bloggers are writers too. Professional or not. Like authors who work so hard at their craft, we also work very hard talking about your work. We don't get paid. Do we care? Do we complain? No. So I think we can write subjective reviews and comments all we want as long as we are not personally attacking you or bashing you. (Aren't all reviews and opinions subjective anyway?)

Also please realize that the so-called unprofessional book reviewers are your avid readers. We are the bookworms that spend so much time in the library borrowing or in the bookstore buying your work. We are the ones that talk endlessly about your stories and your characters. We are the ones that recommend them non-stop to others. We are the ones that get our family and friends to get your book. We are your audience. We all do this for NO. PAY. $0. Basically, for free. Why? Because we love it! We're passionate about this, and we do care about authors and other writers. We don't write reviews to ruin your careers. However, if you still think we shouldn't be writing reviews because we're not professionals, then I'm just sorry you think that way. But to be honest, the most fair thing you can do is to show a little bit more respect for others. Whether they are professional writers or not.

P.S. I'm a pretty damn good grocery list writer.

Just saying.

Books that keep you up at night are dangerous.

Yes they are. I had a lot of stuff planned to do in the morning today, and had to get up earlier than normal. Yesterday, I had a plan: sleep earlier than usual so I'm not in zombie mode. Unfortunately, I picked up one of those books. Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler. I couldn't put it down. So let's just say I was definitely in zombie mode today.

There are a lot of others book that have done this to me. The favorites of mine -- that if you've been a reader of mine for a while you would know what the titles are -- The Book Thief, Harry Potter series, The Lightning Thief, etc. Some others like The Maze Runner, The Book of Lost Things, Still Alice by Lisa Genova, just to name a few.

So today I wonder -- and I know it seems like I've been posting a lot about me wondering and me asking you a bunch of questions -- what are the books that you think are guilty for keeping their readers up late at night and depriving them of precious, precious sleep?

The Future of YA

Amelia from Imagination in Focus wrote a post about her wishes for the YA genre in the years to come. The post not only pointed out interesting points -- most that I agree with -- but it also made me think about my own wishes for the YA genre. Read her post, comment, and maybe write your own as well. As for me, here are the things I would like to see, and perhaps not see, in the near future.

• More Contemporary Fiction about sensitive issues

Everytime I read these kinds of books, I tend to think about the readers that are going through the same exact things as the characters in these stories, and I imagine that it helps them a lot simply by reminding them that they're not alone. I just think that's a very important and significant thing to have. Some examples of these books, Willow by Julia Hoban, Speak and Wintergirls both by Laurie Halse Anderson, Scars by Cheryl Rainfield, among many others.

• Twisted fairy tale re-tellings

I just can't resist it when a fairy tale becomes twisted and creepy -- ala The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. It is so unique, and it gives a fresh new feel to a classic story.

• More realistic love stories

For some reason, there aren't much "romance" in the YA genre. I think a lot of people can relate to this, especially teens and YA readers. I mean, sometimes, it's just nice to read a good old love story every once in a while.

• 20-50s era

I'm talking about the roaring 20s, poodle skirts, diners, The Great Depression even.. there are so many things I can think of that surrounds this time. Like Amelia said on her post, there are a lot of Victorian novels out there, particularly in the 18th century, but there aren't a lot of books centered around the 20s-50s. I think it'd be quite interesting to see how young adults lived back then.

• Less vampires, werewolves, and faeries, please!

To be honest, I am getting a bit sick of the whole Paranormal genre trend going on. By this I mean, vampires/werewolves/faeries, etc. I feel like bookstores and libraries should have their own section for these paranormal creatures already due to so many books all about these! I enjoy a good paranormal novel or two, but I wish they'd venture out a little bit more. There are a whole lot of other interesting creatures that could be used, I think.

On Reading.

I was rereading Where Books Fall Open -- a reader's anthology full of drawings, paintings, poems, essays, etc about books and reading -- when I came across one of my favorite passages. I thought I'd share with you all, as I think you'd appreciate and relate to it more than anyone else I know.

On Reading

by Elizabeth Hardwick

As I have grown older I see myself as fortunate in many ways. It is fortunate to have had all my life this passion for studying and enjoying literature and for trying to add a bit to it as interestingly as I can. This passion has given me much joy, it has given me friends who care for the same things, it has given me employment, escape from boredom, everything. The greatest gift is the passion for reading. It is is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is a moral illumination.

...

Do you, every time you finish a good book and pick up another one, stop and think about what reading means to you? For me, there are so many passages out there that can explain what it means to me. I can even write an entire essay, maybe even a long blog post rambling on about it. But I think this short passage sums up how I feel about it pretty darn well. At least, for now.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

This post isn't going to be long at all, but I wanted to say it anyway. I'm pretty sure everyone knows by now; Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is the target of yet another case of censorship. The 'n' word, considered as a very offensive slang term, is to be replaced by the word, 'slave.' Since when did the word 'slave' become less offensive anyway? They don't even have the same meaning.

People argue that it's just 1-2 words that have been changed -- they would ask, "So what?" I just think, whether it's one word or an entire chapter, it's still going to make a huge difference to the reading experience. Why mess with something that's perfectly fine the way it is? I say, let the readers today read how it was read yesterday. Classics should not be altered to match contemporary ideology, and Literature should never feel the need to adjust itself for anybody.

Thoughts?

for Harry Potter fans: Looking Back

Warning: If you have not read the books, some spoilers of course :)

I'm not usually the type to re-read books, but for some reason, it just felt like the perfect thing to do especially after having watched HP7. I was inspired to grab these books again. Though I did not read it all, I did go through some of my favorite chapters in each.

In the Sorcerer's Stone, I had to look back to the very first time Harry, Ron, and Hermione rode the Hogwarts Express. I loved that scene so much! In Prisoner of Azkaban -- which has got to be my top 2 favorite book in the series -- I went back to Harry, Sirius, Lupin, Snape, Ron, Hermione, and Wormtail's confrontation scene by the end. So well-told, that part! And then of course, for Goblet of Fire.. the Yule Ball. As for the Deathly Hallows, I pretty much read most of it! Though everything is pretty much as clear to me as when I first read it, there are so many little details I have already forgotten!

Needless to say, reading my favorite books (of all time!) was extremely nostalgic for me. Now don't even get me started on when I saw part 1 of the movie.. can I just say though?? Right when it ended, I just sat there, feeling the exact same way I did when I finished the entire series -- and told myself the exact way as well - "My childhood is over." That's how it felt to me. It was like one of my best friends moved away without even telling me or without even giving me any contact number or whatever. HA HA HA, seriously though. Did you feel like this too? I would love to know, because I'm pretty sure huge HP fans felt the same way I did, maybe even more! And also, do share your memories growing up with these beloved characters and this beloved story. Which HP book was your favorite? Who was your favorite character? Were you obsessed with the series? *don't worry, I won't tell* I would love to hear from you!

i missed reading.

Yesterday, it was raining around where I live, which basically forced me to stay in the house, mostly in bed. To add to the whole relaxing mood, I had candles lit up and a cup of tea on my bedside table, while I caught up on my reading. Doing this really made me miss books so much. Sad to say I haven't been reading much lately due to 'real life getting in the way.'

I was able to finish The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (review coming up soon!) and was able to start with Fire on the Blood by Irene Nemirovsky. She is probably one of my favorite writers, as her words are simply poetic, flowing with effortless fluidity. I was able to take in as much pages and chapters as possible, and I am just in love with it so far.

So this post is mainly for me to ask, do you ever feel like real life just gets in the way of things sometimes and prevents you from doing what you actually enjoy doing -- like for instance, reading? Perhaps even blogging? I know I do, and I guess it's just nice to finally catch up on something I really love, because I really did miss it. What are you currently reading right now and how are you liking it so far?

I hope you all had a great weekend!